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GX-Developer improvement requests

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I was reading reading the Mitsubish Advance News Letter and it mentioned the new Gx Developer 2 and MT Developer 2. I thought I would post the news letter for peoples enjoyment. Craig Mitsu_vol119.pdf

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Where did you get this newsletter? I've never seen it before...

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I discovered the magazine when I was on the Global site. The magazine does not just cover the automation division but, also all the other mitsubishi divisions. Check out this site: http://global.mitsubishielectric.com/compa...ance/index.html Craig

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mouse scroll wheel doesn't work in my version (GX Dev 7.11M)

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It does not work on my version 8.03 Rodney

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Scroll mouse has worked since 8.25 or so.

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1- We need an easy way to generate repetitive programs. Macro function is for this purpose i guess but doesn't do the job properly. Copy/Paste with windows clipboard can help, as i can write a custom application for generating code and paste to Gx-Developer. 2- Dialog messages are translated very badly and a lot of messages are displayed. Improvement is needed. 3- Compare programs needs improvement. 4- List of used devices doesn't work well with some instructions. 5- Debugging programs can be easier. step by step execution, break points (like pc program :P ) if its possible. 6- Entering multiple commands together (maybe comma separated) should work, as it will speed up programming. For example LD X0,AND X1,MOV DO D1

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This is very good list, and long. So, Gx-Developer need a lot of work. In the list, 34. How to compare two offline programs? The only options seam to be comparing offline program with PLC. You can do this by selecting Verify in the project menu. Click browse and select other project and compare. You can event compare with an already open project in another Gx-Developer session.

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You should really take a look at GX IEC Developer it has many features you need. Also IQ WORKS is coming out around June which contains GDII which is the combinantion of GX Developer and GX IEC Developer. IQ WOrks also has MT Developer and GT Designer and a configration enviroment GX explorer. This will solve a few problems 1- You can program FB is GX IEC Developer. 2- The english dialogs are checked and by UK and serveral languages will be available. 3- Check the GX IEC way 4- When programming in IEC standard you work with names instead of Devices much better. The compiler handel the devices 5- There are some new possibilities with system Q. which PLC are you using? 6- Writting in ladder is faster also FB's will really shorten the programming time

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I should try IEC Developer, thanks for advice. 1- What i want to do is similar to function blocks. But the problem is, i need to change each block separately. For example there are 100 motors, with the same program. I can easily write an indexed program using index registers. But, customer wants same program repeated for each motor in the ladder sequence. So that he can edit each motors program, add some extra stuff as his wishes, disable some controls for some motors and he can monitor each motor easily. 4- When i, for example, change array size for an existing setting. What happens to existing array, values in the array. I have concerns about software moving around my variables I tried label programming in Gx-Developer, and had some problems. Like, you can't read program from PLC without the original project. (I can't remember the details now) 5- I mostly use Q series, and i think Q Series is worse than Fx Series in debugging. Debug mode is disabled as i can see. I can not use step execution. And, 7- Copy/Paste between different series PLCs. Why can't i paste code from FX2N to Q02 project, this is really silly. 8- Change project type doesn't work between FX and Q series. Edited by funfrok

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1) I would still try and use GX IEC Developer and and just make two or more FB for the moters ( for instance Basic an adanced). Having different code for 100 motors is hard to maintain. If your customer doesn't like indexing etc. you can instruct the compiler to create code for each time the FB is used. 4) In IEC you have two option. Create a variable (array) with or without a device attached. For instance if you declare an array of 10 words the compiler will choose a set of 10 registers which haven't been used in the program If you declare a array of 10 words with starting adress D100. It will use D100 - D109. If you than change to the array to 20 words D100-D119 is used. 5) Really I'd rather use a system Q. Than you have Error handeling and historie on every module and CPU You can even store it to a file so that you if the customer resets the PLC you can still retrieve the info. The special funct. util lets you check directly monitor the module. And best of all sampling trace for when you need to see what a program has done to devices each scan. Still if you have a problem there many people who have a lot of expercience with Mitsubishi PLC's from Amercia, ASIA Europe There always a continent awake to solve a problem. 7) Have you tried the merge function i think that i'll work. I mostly use IEC which uses a compiler wich makes changing and copying program parts much easier. 8) You can change between FX and Q but you have to convert to A series first. Not all instruction of the FX are supported by the system Q and vice versa but most of them are. Still it's a lot easier than changing a Siemens S5 to a S7. Check out this site about upgrading paths for mitsubishi it will show you why Mitsubishi you never waste your spend money and programming efforts http://www.meau.com/eprise/main/sites/publ...ansition_Center Still I might be bias cause I work for the Dutch distributer for Mitsubishi PLC's. Edited by Gambit

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I have 8.45 and mine does work.

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I agree with many of the comments, especially with the compare function. It has been brought to Japan's attention that this needs improvement. As for copy and paste to other Windows programs like Notepad, what would Notepad be able to do with ladder logic? There's no reason to copy and paste ladder to anything other than GX Developer, and that works fine. I agree with Gambit, IEC Developer does make some of this much cleaner. I'm looking forward to the GX Developer2 software, as I've seen a beta copy and worked on a couple of things in it. It's much cleaner (and much more like IEC Developer).

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I can't disagree more. This capability is something many of you may not even realise exists in other packages, but I tell you this much, it is a ABSOLUTE BOON! Let me explain... You write a portion of ladder You copy it as mnemonic you paste it into excel & replace the address parts of the functions with ="D" & (1990 + (COL() * 10)) You copy it across 10 columns - instantly you have written the ladder for 10 more stages, incrementing the D2000 address by 10 - WITHOUT ERROR Now this is a simple example, but being creative you can apply the same logic to contacts, coils, etc etc. Some might argue that a function block is more suited & it is, but sometime the ladder will require customised parts - so use this method to make the base circuit then put it in excel, parametrize it, copy xxx times, paste back in & its written. DEFINATELY saved me hours of work & looking for the 1 function i forgot to update!!! Steve. Edited by sd00

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I had heard from a Mitsu source that the products weren't really being combined. I know they are Beta testing some things now. When I first heard of this I was hopeful that IEC was being merged with GX-Dev since I am using and have come to depend of IEC developer. It is frustrating dealing with the lack of IEC support (Although I don't usually need the support, it puts you out on a ledge by yourself a bit). I'm kind of quietly hoping my source at Mitsu was mistaken. Having two softwares in Europe and Asia/America is really confusing to deal with.

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Let me put your mind at ease GDII is the package whitch will replace both GX Developer and IEC developer. It's part of a bigger software suite. It's already being used in Japan by large customers . I have one of the beta versions and it lookes ok. unfortunately this version is only for system Q. This PDF will give you more of an idea what Mitsubishi is working on. some of the improvements are multiple communication connections security special Function module in navigator not under tools no setting in I/O assiginment required setting are made via drop down menus instead of 0000100010100 on install for GD GX Sim and config tools simulator start in few seconds etc newsletter_119.pdf Edited by Gambit

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And it's got GX Configurator type tools (only much improved) built in.

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And at what cost is this new super-charged double / triple integrated software going to be. In recent years I have had to buy GP win, then GX dev and then I even had to by GX FX so that I could program the FX3U's. _ no upgrade price, the full price every time. For virtually one man bands like me, it takes some getting your money back. Does anyone know what price range will be?

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I have no idea how things are handled in your country, but in the US, you get one year worth of upgrades free with your software, and maintenance packages are available after the first year. keep your maintenance agreement current, and you'll always have the latest version. All versions of GX Developer can program FX3U since 8.25. You don't need the -FX version for that. I do not expect that going from GX-Deve to GX2 will be a free upgrade. And I expect more info on pricing will be available closer to launch date.

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Do you have any information about the launch date?

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In Europe the plan is to release it in June

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I heard around the same time. No official dates I've heard yet. Just rumblings.

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Re. Item 6 Using GX v8.35 and mainly for Q-series: Tools - Options - Whole Data - Device Comment Edit/Show ... You can select 16 or 32 characters. Either way, they appear as either 2 or 4 lines of 8 characters each respectively and the comment editor doesn't show you where each new line begins. So you need to count keystrokes as you bang them in, unless you're happy with wrapped words (I'm not).

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That is true, it does not perform word wrap. But since you're limited by number of characters, word wrap would just waste spaces, same as typing them in. But have you tried the comment tool in the ladder window? It has a preview and will show you the comments as you enter them.

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I didn't see these in the lists (maybe I missed them): It would be good to be able to page up/down with an edit open on the screen. ok, so you can scroll, but it's the slow option. How about locking the cursor (hilite) on the selected item and not on the physical position on the screen. It's really handy to wizz up and down and know that the cursor will still be where you left it. Search results similar to AB, with an implicit goto. Consistent (and more of them) results when using the tab key for jumping. Ditto with the control+left/right. I can never seem to remember which screens react which way to the same keystrokes. Insert/overwrite: AARRGGHH! My kid's etch-a-sketch is better! I've been using GX on and off for just over a year now, having used LM90; the old DOS SLC editor (can't remember the name); CX-one and RSLogix. On the second day of GX, I renamed the shortcut "Grindingly Xcruciating". I think it'll be a long time before it gets changed for the better. Edited by Glitchfindergeneral

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